When Love was Young
by dixiedreaming
Summary: Unseen moments from the Butlers' honeymoon in New Orleans
1. Chapter 1

_Hi, sorry for the long gap in between stories, I'm blaming a combination of RL and writer's block although it could also have something to do with the fact I've become incredibly lazy lately! Anyway, this is a four-parter focusing on moments from the Butler's honeymoon and alternating between two morning episodes told from Scarlett's pov and two night episodes told from Rhett's. Hope you enjoy and please let me know what you think, I love getting reviews to the point where it's probably unhealthy! Finally a massive thank you to areadergirl who made sure I didn't give up on this, I really appreciate it. _

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Scarlett moaned softly to herself as she opened her eyes and took in the sight of her surroundings. The sun was just beginning to seep in from under the thick curtains of her hotel suite, illuminating its plush splendour, so removed from the simple furnishings that adorned her room in Aunt Pittypat's house. A satisfied smile broke out across her lips as she luxuriated in the feel of the silk sheets that were wrapped loosely around her body, her ever-practical mind congratulating herself on her sudden rise in fortune.

This time two days ago, as she waited anxiously to undergo her third, and hopefully final, wedding ceremony, Scarlett had been less than confident about her decision to marry Rhett. Of course it had its obvious appeals, he was wealthy beyond compare, more handsome than was entirely decent and, for all his taunting and teasing, he understood her in a way that no one else ever had. Yet despite all this she still had her reservations, there was just something so unyielding about Rhett as a man, an inner steel that made her fear that she would not be able to control him as she once had Charles and Frank.

She had been so uncharacteristically nervous that morning in fact that she had practically screamed at Mammy and Melly as they helped her to get ready, even reducing Prissy to tears when the ditzy girl had pricked her with a needle while attempting to make some last-minute alterations to her dress. Scarlett's heart had been in her mouth when the carriage rolled up outside the house ready to take her away to her new life and for a moment she had earnestly considered locking her bedroom door and refusing to come out until the whole sorry business had been called off.

It was only the thought of the scorn that Rhett would no doubt pour on her if she dared to do so, the way that his dark eyes would burn with mockery as he berated her for her weakness, which finally forced her shaky legs to move. Marriage to him may not be perfect, but it was infinitely preferable to having him think her a mealy-mouthed coward who was too afraid to even face him.

Scarlett sighed as she snuggled deeper into the cocoon of her warm bed, safe in the knowledge that she had made the right decision and that her fears regarding Rhett had been proven wrong. For all his swagger and strength, he had been nothing but gentle and attentive to her in the forty-eight hours since she had become his wife. Scarlett's smile deepened as she recalled the smouldering look that he had given her as she recited her vows, his normally unreadable expression softening until she felt that she was finally getting a glimpse of the man that lay behind the mask that he so rigidly wore in front of the rest of the world.

He appeared so overcome with emotion, and for once so willing to openly display it, that all of her anxieties had fallen completely away and for the first time in her life she felt that perhaps she could be happy married to a man who was not Ashley Wilkes.

Scarlett yawned and stretched out in her bed, making use of every last inch of the king-sized mattress she was currently lying on as she sprawled out. Having spent the previous night in the cramped sleeping car of the train that had brought her and Rhett from Atlanta to New Orleans, the extra room felt all the more wonderful.

She had never slept aboard a train before and had found the prospect of doing so to be both daunting and exhilarating. On one hand it was undoubtedly satisfying to know that she would be doing something that no other married woman in Atlanta ever had after their weddings. It pleased Scarlett's vanity to know that, while Rhett may have insisted on a low-key ceremony, he was more than willing to splurge on their honeymoon in order to make her happy, and flaunting her new-found wealth in front of the very people who had always looked down on her made her very happy indeed! However, despite the vindictive pleasure she took in this act, the thought of spending her wedding night alone with Rhett, stranded on a moving train miles from anywhere had filled her with more than a little apprehension.

Though she had experienced her fair share of marital relations in the past, none had been what you could call a pleasant experience. Indeed, Scarlett had come to abhor the entire practice, only managing to stomach it at all by squeezing her eyes tightly shut and forcing herself to think of other, more pleasant things. Things that that would take her away from her immediate surroundings and block out the sight and sound of Charles or Frank above her, sweaty and disgusting, as they used her body for their own pleasure.

Even more worrying was the fact that these relations, swift as they were, had been at best uncomfortable and at worst positively painful. Knowing the hurt that such puny men had inflicted on her, Scarlett could not help but to fear what Rhett, with his imposing frame and large, muscular body, was capable of.

The moment she had stepped on the train with him she had felt numb with fright, barely able to wave her hand in farewell to Melly and Ashley who had come to the station to see them off. If Rhett had noticed her discomfort though he had not mentioned it, in fact she could not recall a time when she had seen him in such high spirits, as unable to supress a smile as she was to raise one. His black eyes shone with light as they swept repeatedly across her face and frame, appearing slightly glazed as if he could not quite believe that she was truly there with him.

If her anxieties kept her uncharacteristically silent, then Rhett's almost incessant chatter made sure that there weren't any awkward pauses in the conversation, his stream of small talk making time fly by as quickly as the countryside outside of their carriage window.

His good mood had continued through supper, as he regaled her with tales of his past escapades in New Orleans and opened bottle after bottle of champagne with which to toast their union. At first, Scarlett had been grateful for his exuberance, drinking the sparkling liquid down as quickly as Rhett could pour it, eager for the alcohol to calm her nerves and dull her overwrought senses.

She had feared that Rhett would mock her for her actions, making some spiteful comment about her drinking habits as he had so ungentlemanly done in the past, but he remained silent, indeed his smile seemed to widen secretively with every glass that she consumed. Had she been in her right mind then his countenance would undoubtedly have raised her suspicions, but unfortunately her plan was working a little too well, clouding her senses until she could concentrate on nothing other than the spinning sensation in her head and the decidedly nauseous feeling in her stomach.

Attempting to conceal her rising discomfort by covering her mouth with her napkin and taking deep, drawn-out breaths, Scarlett wondered how best to excuse herself from the table without alerting Rhett's suspicions. Sinking the nails of her free hand into the table in a bid to steady herself, she lifted her drooping head and willed the contents of her stomach to stay down as she opened her mouth to speak.

Before she could utter so much as a syllable though, Rhett's deep drawl cut through the heavy air of the dining cart, 'My pet, as much as I am enjoying the pleasure of your company this fine evening, I do believe it has been a rather tiring day for the both of us and we would benefit immensely from an early night.'

As sweet and reassuring as his words sounded, Scarlett could not help but frown as she focussed her blurry vision on his face. The look of amusement and superiority that she found there left her with little doubt that beneath his show of husbandly concern lay an ulterior motive, one which made her feel faint in a way that had nothing to do with the vast amount of champagne she had just consumed.

She had been hoping that he would remain in the dining cart for a while after she made her excuses from the table, giving her an opportunity to clear her muddled head and prepare herself for the ordeal that was surely to follow. But, it seemed now that she was to be denied even this small respite and reluctantly she nodded her head, her usual fiery nature extinguished by the cold, hard reality of married life.

Mutely she rose from the table and followed Rhett out of the dining cart and along the corridor, the sensation of the train rocking around her making her dizzier than ever. She kept her eyes fixed onto his back as they made their way towards their room for the night, becoming hypnotised by the way in which his muscles rippled and undulated under the loose cotton of his shirt like a moth fascinated by the beauty of the flame which it knows will bring about its destruction.

So caught up in her study was Scarlett, that she almost crashed into Rhett when he stopped abruptly outside one of the many doors that lined the corridor. Extracting a key from his pocket, Rhett moved to insert in the lock, Scarlett feeling her heart race inside her chest as he did so, suddenly terrified of the reality that awaited her behind the door to their sleeping quarters. Part of her wanted to curl up into a ball and sob while another wanted to turn and flee from Rhett, to run away despite the fact that there was nowhere she could go inside of a moving train where he would not be able to find her. The more dominant part of her however wanted to strike out at him, to fight back against her state of helplessness and refuse to submit to his will by instead forcing him to surrender to hers.

As this internal battle raged inside of her, Rhett's hand suddenly stopped midway through inserting the key into the lock and he turned to look at her with an expression both amused and concerned.

'How are you feeling my dear?' he asked, his voice deceptively smooth in a way that suggested he already knew the answer to his question.

Unwilling to show weakness, Scarlett forced herself to look him in the eye as she replied in as steady a voice as she could muster, 'I'm perfectly well thank you Rhett.'

Rhett's lips quirked upwards slightly at her answer before he commented archly, 'Why, I am glad to hear that Scarlett! You know just between you and me, I had heard that some brides tend to get a little jittery on their wedding night, but I should have known that a woman such as yourself would be above such things.'

'Jittery? Why what in earth is there to be jittery about?' Scarlett cried, adopting a bravado that she wished she truly felt, 'After all this is hardly my first marriage.'

If some of the playful light fled from Rhett's eyes at her statement, Scarlett did not notice, being too wrapped up in her own anxieties to take account of his. However she could not fail to miss the poorly-concealed bitterness in his voice as he replied, 'Indeed it is not my dear, and judging by the vast amount of alcohol you felt it necessary to drink at supper, your previous experiences must have been exceedingly pleasant I am sure.'

Startled by the anger in his voice and believing it to be aimed at her rather than her former husbands, Scarlett blushed deeply and felt her own rage rise to meet Rhett's. 'How dare you speak to me like that! If I did drink a little too much champagne at the table it was only because you kept on offering it to me! Clearly you weren't raised to be polite, but I certainly was and I refuse to debase myself just because I had the misfortune to marry an uncouth brute of a man!'

'Uncouth? Why Scarlett, someone has been reading their dictionary lately haven't they?' he sneered nastily.

Incensed, Scarlett made to retort only to be overcome by a wave of sickness and have to clamp her mouth firmly shut.

Seeing her distress, some of the malice drained out of Rhett's face and he moved quickly towards her. Unwilling to give into his touch though, Scarlett darted away from his intended embrace, her eyes communicating all of the venom that her words could not.

Rhett halted instantly in his actions upon seeing her deadly expression, his arms dropping back to his sides as if burnt by her rejection. While his jaw tightened minutely though, his face remained carefully void of emotion as he chuckled lightly, 'Only you could conduct an argument after consuming two bottles of champagne my dear! Indeed, you put on such a performance that even I forgot how unwell you must surely be feeling.' His voice grew gentle as he looked upon her, 'Do you wish to lie down?'

Touched by his show of concern and exhausted by the day's events Scarlett could only nod in response, too tired even to feel fear as she watched Rhett unlock the door to their room and move aside so that she could enter first. Her breath did catch a little however when she took in the sight of the cramped quarters, her face creasing up into a frown as she surveyed the single bed and wondered how Rhett intended for the two of them to fit inside of it.

Her consternation was forgotten however when she heard Rhett clear his throat behind her. Plucking up her courage, Scarlett raised her head proudly and turned to face him ready, if not wholly willing, to endure what was to come. She stopped short though when she saw that Rhett was not in the room with her as she had supposed, but rather that he was still standing outside in the corridor, a secretive smile playing out across his swarthy features as he held out the key to the room towards her.

Slowly she took it from his grasp, raising confused emerald eyes to laughing onyx ones as she curled her fingers around the cold metal object. Her expression made his grin widen and she found herself growing irritated at his silence, angry at the thought he was teasing her like a cat playing with its prey before going in for the kill. She opened her mouth to demand that he explain his strange behaviour when Rhett cut her off by closing his fist around her hand and raising it chastely to his smirking lips. Kissing her skin softly yet firmly in a way that had always made her shiver, he held her captive in his gaze for a moment before unexpectedly dropping her hand and stepping away from her.

'Sweet dreams Mrs. Butler' he drawled, caressing the last two words almost sinfully as he called her by her now-rightful name for the very first time. With that he turned sharply and walked away down the corridor leaving Scarlett alone in the darkness of her room bemused and unable to understand what exactly had just happened.

After a few moments of uncertainty Scarlett gathered her wits about her and rushed out after Rhett, only to collide straight into his back when she found him stood outside another door directly next to her own. Emitting a deep laugh, Rhett turned to gather her up in his arms, smoothing her tumbled hair and dress as he smiled down at her.

'My dear, I had heard that women become more affectionate towards their spouses after marriage, but if I had known that a wedding was all it took to ensure you couldn't bear to go five seconds without seeing me then I would have endeavoured to place a ring on your finger years ago.'

Still slightly dazed from his swift departure from their room and her subsequent collision, most of Rhett's words flew over Scarlett's head and, rather than becoming angry at his taunting, she could only look at him blankly. 'What are you doing Rhett?' she asked openly, 'I thought you wanted us to retire to our rooms early?'

Rhett smirked at her state of confusion and looked as if he would have enjoyed teasing her further if her earnest entreaty hadn't made it impossible for him to continue his game without it becoming cruel. Instead he smiled softly and said, 'Indeed I did my dear and so we have retired to our rooms, you to yours,' he paused to point towards the open door behind them, 'and me to mine' he continued, indicating the closed door in front of him.

Rather than easing her confusion though, Rhett's words served only to deepen it and Scarlett stuttered slightly as she asked, 'You mean that we're not sle-… we're not staying in the same room?'

'Yes my dear that is exactly what I mean, indeed it amazes me how quickly you deciphered my intentions, I doubt there is another married couple in all of the South who are as perfectly in tune with one another as we are.'

Ignoring his mocking words, Scarlett felt herself sigh in relief at the knowledge that they would be sleeping apart that night. Yet, once her initial elation had subsided her vanity could not help but be a little wounded at the thought that Rhett did not desire her enough to claim his marital rights immediately.

Her eyes grew stormy at the notion that Rhett did not want to be with her in that way and she wondered how she was ever to keep him from Belle Watling's door if he seemed to have already grown tired of her before they had even been wed so much as a day. She turned despondently to make her way back to her room when she felt a warm hand enclose her wrist and, looking up, she took in Rhett's sombre, hopeful expression.

'If you are wondering why I decided we would benefit from separate sleeping quarters on our first night of matrimonial bliss then it is because trains, though the fastest and most practical means of travelling between states, are hardly renowned for their comfortable and sizeable sleeping quarters. And while our prolonged separation shall wound me deeply my dear,' he drawled, his mouth turning up into a rakish, predatory grin, 'after waiting for so very long to make you mine I refuse to now do so under anything less than perfect conditions.'

Blushing slightly at the indecent connotations of his words, Scarlett could not help but be flattered by the fact that, rather than not wanting her, his decision was based on the desire to make the act as comfortable for her as he could. Furthermore, it eased her fears about the act itself, as surely Rhett wouldn't go to all this trouble regarding its location unless he meant to ensure that it was as painless for her as possible.

Touched by his rare show of affection, Scarlett could not help but match his smile with one of her own, enjoying the way his eyes flashed as he took in her unusually tender expression. Wishing him goodnight she had retreated back to her own room, smiling slightly to herself at the thought that marriage to Rhett might just prove to be fun after all.

Scarlett smirked mischievously to herself as she sat up in her bed, thinking that fun was exactly what the last thirty-six hours had been. After debarking from the train the following afternoon, they had made their way to their hotel by carriage, Scarlett almost spraining her neck as she twisted it constantly in every direction in an attempt to take in as much of the bustling city around her as she possibly could.

Rhett had laughed at her antics, assuring her that New Orleans would still be there tomorrow and she did not need to see all of it in the twenty minutes it would take them to arrive at their lodgings. Too caught up in her surroundings, Scarlett had neither the time nor the inclination to grow angry at his teasing and so she contented herself with simply telling to him 'Hush up!' before continuing in her endeavour to drink up the city with her eyes.

She had never been somewhere so alive before, the colour and rhythm of the streets around her making Atlanta appear even more staid and drab than it had always had. Her appreciation for the city grew even further when they pulled up outside of their hotel, its beautiful architecture and plush interior making her feel as if she was finally being given the chance to live the sort of privileged life she had always wanted to, the life that she had been raised to before the war had come along and spoilt everything.

And then there was last night, the night she had been dreading for so long and which had confounded all her previous experiences and dismantled everything that she had ever been taught to expect from married life since she was a child.

She had thought it would be painful, but it was not. She had thought he would remain aloof, but he did not. She had thought she would stay silent, but she could not.

He had taken everything she thought she knew and proven it false, opening her up to a world that she had never even suspected existed, much less experienced for herself. His murmurs and caresses had awakened something within her that she did not know she possessed, made her want things that she could not name, and do and say things that she had never dreamed of.

It had been too much and not enough at the same time and it had made her realise just how little she knew of the man she had just married, how little he had let her see until this night.

Thinking of Rhett in this way made Scarlett suddenly aware of the empty space that lay across from her on the bed, a space which her newly-wed husband should currently be occupying. Leaning back against the headboard, Scarlett scanned the room for Rhett, growing concerned when she realised that it too was empty of his commanding presence.

Thinking that he may have wandered into one of the other rooms that made up their honeymoon suite, Scarlett called out to him only to be met with a resounding silence. Her concern turning swiftly to consternation, she wondered what it was that could have caused him to leave her without a word only hours after them having shared such a wondrous night together.

Unless of course, she thought bitterly, such nights were common practice for him. Indeed, she chastised herself bitterly, she had been a fool to think that because their union had been a revelation to her it had also been one to him. Why, he probably felt pleasure like that every time he visited that ghastly saloon, perhaps more seeing as Belle was bound to know ways of pleasing a man that Scarlett's civilised upbringing had kept her deliberately ignorant of.

Such unpleasant thoughts broke through Scarlett's previously jubilant mood making her fearful that she had unwittingly revealed too much of herself to Rhett in the heat of the moment. She wished she could go back and relive the previous night, to hide her emotions by biting her tongue and preventing the moans and endearments she had uttered from ever leaving her lips. Each one had given Rhett power over her she now realised, by reacting to his touch she had shown him that she was not averse or even indifferent to it, but rather than she welcomed and longed for it.

Suddenly, the sheets in which she was covered seemed thin and insipid as she became wholly and painfully aware of her naked state beneath them. Her exposure seemed to underline the way in which she had lain herself physically and emotionally bare in front of Rhett the previous night and how he had betrayed the trust she had shown in him by abandoning her this morning. Unwilling to remain in such a vulnerable position, Scarlett climbed swiftly out of bed, hurriedly picking up her nightgown and wrapper which lay discarded on the floor where Rhett had dropped them in the early hours of the morning.

Dressing quickly, she walked over to the vanity in the corner of the room and sat down to brush her hair in preparation for heading out, determined not to let Rhett's absence get in the way of her exploring the city she had been so eager to see only yesterday.

Before she had set the brush to work untangling her knotted curls though, she heard a shuffling sound outside of her bedroom and looking into the mirror before her she saw Rhett enter the room carrying a large tray.

Her heart thumped loudly in her chest at the sight of him, unshaven and dressed in yesterday's crumpled clothes. She could not remember a time she had seen him look so unkempt. Yet, rather than being affronted by his ungentlemanly appearance, Scarlett felt her stomach clench and heat rise in her cheeks upon seeing the famously debonair Rhett Butler so obviously dishevelled. A small smile played upon her lips at the thought that perhaps last night had rocked him as much as it had her after all.

She watched as he looked towards the bed that they had shared, seeing him frown in confusion upon finding it empty. Her anger all but forgotten, she could not help but giggle at the lost look upon his face. Her laughter made Rhett spin round to face her, his expression clearing as his eyes fixed upon hers through the glass.

'You're up early,' he commented, seeming to sulk slightly as he indicated the tray in his hands, 'I was planning on serving you breakfast in bed but I see that I left it too late, unless of course you want to humour me by getting back in.'

'And get crumbs all over the silk sheets?' Scarlett said, wrinkling her nose up in distaste, 'Just set the tray down next to me Rhett and I'll eat it when I'm ready.'

Rhett sighed exaggeratedly and pulled his eyebrows down in mock despair at her suggestion, yet his playful expression did not quite manage to reach his eyes, 'What a romantic suggestion my dear, you put my efforts completely to shame.'

'Romantic? Who cares about being romantic?'

'Most women on their honeymoon.' He answered shortly.

Scarlett huffed contemptuously, 'That's because most women are silly little ninnies who have to wait round for their husbands to do nice things for them because they don't have the gumption to do them for themselves.'

Rhett's lips thinned as he struggled to keep him tone light, 'Doubtless you are right my pet, but seeing as your husband has endeavoured to do a 'nice thing' as you so charmingly put it, perhaps you could humour him just this once.'

Scarlett frowned, the thought of eating in bed reminded her of the times when she'd been ill as a child at Tara and Ellen and Mammy had forced her to remain lying down for days on end when she wanted to be out playing and making mischief with the Tarleton twins. Feeling suffocated by the memory of her enforced confinement, Scarlett's voice was harsher than she intended when she bit back, 'I'm not some child for you to pet and fawn over Rhett. I'm perfectly capable of eating my own breakfast when and how I want, I won't have you treating me like a baby!'

'It wasn't my intention to treat you like a child Scarlett, I'm perfectly aware of how independent you are, indeed I find it to be one of your more attractive qualities.' Rhett said, his voice becoming dangerously smooth, 'If I was trying to treat you as anything, it was as something precious, after all you didn't seem to object to such gentle handling last night.'

Scarlett gasped at his scandalous words, her cheeks flaming with embarrassment as she tore her eyes away from his, unwilling to let him see the tears of mortification that were threatening to spill out. Trying furiously to blink them away before he saw how his cruel comment had affected her, Scarlett did not hear him move across the room to her side. As such, she jumped violently when she felt the warmth of his large hand come to rest on her shoulder before she tried to jerk her body out from under his touch.

'I'm sorry Scarlett,' Rhett breathed, reaching out with his other hand to softly stroke her hair. Scarlett froze, unable to remember the last time that he had apologised to her for something that he had done. 'I didn't mean to upset you. I wanted this day to be as perfect as last night was, perhaps I was trying a little too hard to make that happen.'

Comforted by his words and the feel of his hand in her hair, Scarlett felt herself relax into his touch, closing her eyes as she revelled in the soothing sensations he was evoking. Still tired from lack of sleep, Scarlett had almost drifted off when Rhett's fingers snagged in a knot of hair and made her cry out in pain.

Swiftly he withdrew his hand, his eyes widening comically in the mirror as he took in her bedraggled state for the first time since entering the room. His mouth turning up into a smug grin he taunted, 'My dear I don't believe I've ever seen your hair so untidy, I wonder how it came to be this way.'

Blushing once more, Scarlett turned round in her seat to face her husband, hitting him playfully in the stomach before murmuring embarrassedly, 'You know full well how it got so messy Rhett, it's all your fault!'

Rhett grin grew wider as he chuckled, 'Indeed it is my dear, now why don't you let me make it up to you by feeding you breakfast.'

Scarlett rolled her eyes, unsure whether to be annoyed or amused by his stubborn behaviour, she had never seen Rhett act so freely before and while it was undeniably disconcerting she could not help but by swept along by the tide of his enthusiasm. Struggling to compose her features, Scarlett employed the negotiating skills that had helped make her such a formidable business woman, 'I'll eat my own breakfast Rhett' she stated, her neutral expression almost breaking up into a smile as she took in his look of disappointment, 'but if you promise to take me shopping this afternoon then I will allow you to brush my hair for me while I eat.'

Rhett's eyes snapped joyfully as he smiled, 'And what makes you think that I even want to brush your hair my dear, let alone badly enough to put my hard earned money at the mercy of your greedy paws?'

Putting on her best game face Scarlett squared her jaw and turned back towards the mirror before picking up the brush that lay discarded on the dressing table, 'Fine' she taunted, 'have it your way.' Fixing her eyes on Rhett's in the mirror she raised the brush to her tangled tresses and began to brush them out. She supressed a smile as she watched his conflicted expression through the glass, well aware of the internal battle he was fighting within himself at that moment, torn between the desire to be close to her and the fear of giving in so easily to her demands.

After a minute or two he sighed loudly and turned away, disappointment gripped Scarlett as she watched him walk across the room to the door and she wondered if she should sacrifice her pride by calling him back and telling him that she had only been teasing. Before she had made up her mind though, Rhett had reached the other side of the room, but instead of heading out of the door he walked over to the table next to it and picked up the breakfast tray he had left there.

Turing round, he caught sight of her blinding smile in the mirror and threatened playfully as he walked back towards her, 'Not a word Mrs. Butler, not a word, and you better eat every single bite if you know what's good for you.'

Still grinning stupidly, Scarlett could only nod her head in silent agreement as Rhett placed the tray down in front of her and lifted the lid to reveal freshly baked croissants with jam and butter. Handing the brush over to her husband, Scarlett reached out and grabbed one, too impatient to bother with the fillings as she eagerly crammed the warm pastry into her mouth. Laughing lightly at the mess she was making Rhett slid onto the stool behind her, coming to rest his legs either side of hers as he began to gently untangle her hair.

'I thought you didn't like crumbs my pet?' he teased, earning himself a scowl from Scarlett as she took another bite, covering herself with a fresh shower of pastry flakes as she did so.

They sat like that for some time, Scarlett devouring her breakfast while Rhett made his way gently and methodically through the haystack that was her hair, brushing it until it fell against her head smoother and shiner than ever. Scarlett felt the warmth of his body seep into her own through the thin fabric of her wrapper and couldn't help but lean back into his embrace after she had finished eating, closing her eyes as she felt him put down the brush and wrap his arms around her stomach as he pressed her tightly against his frame.

Lowering his head he pressed soft kisses into her hair and along her neck, making her shiver despite the heat of his body as her skin erupted in goose-pimples. Making his way up slowly to her ear, he nuzzled her skin with his nose before sucking gently on her lobe in a way that made her feel hot and slightly dizzy. Leaning back, he blew cool air over the wet skin before whispering huskily, 'Why don't we go back to bed?'

Her stomach erupting into flames, Scarlett pulled away from Rhett, overcome by the tide of emotion that was currently sweeping across her body. Overwhelmed by such unfamiliar emotions and terrified of how much she had come to feel for the man behind her in such a short space of time, Scarlett scrambled for an excuse that would allow her to put some much needed distance between herself and her husband.

Remembering their earlier bargain she quickly protested, 'But you promised me a day of shopping if I let you brush my hair, or would you have me tell everyone that Rhett Butler isn't a man of his word.'

Pulling her back into his embrace, Rhett murmured, 'My dear right now I couldn't give a damn what you tell everyone, God knows they're probably heard worse things about me as it is.'

Struggling against his hold Scarlett rearranged her face into a pout, 'But Rhett,' she whined in a voice that she hoped sounded petulant rather than breathless, 'you promised me, and I do so want to see New Orleans!'

Sighing Rhett relaxed his grip, allowing Scarlett to scramble free, 'You're a hard woman Mrs. Butler' he grumbled as he watched her walk away towards the closet to get dressed.

Regaining her composure now that she was out of the dangerously powerful draw of his arms, Scarlett turned back towards him and smiled confidently, 'Maybe I am, but that's why you married me.'

As she entered the closet and prepared to pick out a dress for the day, Scarlett thought she heard him reply, 'There is only one reason why I married you my pet and it wasn't that.'

Her curiosity momentarily peaked, Scarlett considered going back into the bedroom and asking him what that reason was before she remembered that their marriage was nothing more than a business deal for him, a way of acquiring her body in the only way he could.

She wondered why the thought hurt her so badly, after all he had made his reasons perfectly clear from the start and it was not as if she was in love with him anymore than he was with her. Yet, these first moments of married life had been so intense, so utterly different from what she had been expecting that she had almost forgotten that this marriage was a sham, that they weren't really in love.

Forcing such unpleasant and confusing thoughts out of her head Scarlett concentrated on the task at hand, comforting herself with the thought that if Rhett's heart was not hers then at least his wallet was and she'd be damned if she wasn't going to make the most of it. After all Rhett had promised her fun and she was going to make sure that's exactly what she got, even if it wasn't quite in the form that these lat two days had made her long for.


	2. Chapter 2

_Thanks to everyone who read and reviewed the last chapter, I really enjoyed hearing your thoughts on it. To the guest who asked if we were going to see Scarlett reacting to the fact women find Rhett attractive then we definitely will in the next chapter, although this one focusses more on Rhett's thoughts upon seeing men flirt with Scarlett as a jealous Rhett is too much fun to not to explore! There might be a longer gap before my next upload due to uni work, but I'll try and finish it as soon as I can for you all. Thanks again for reading and please let me know what you think._

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'So cheer for the Bonnie Blue flag that bears a single star!' Scarlett's voice rang out through the cool night air filled with passion- and more than a little alcohol- as she tipped her head back and sang to the stars.

Beside her Rhett allowed his normally stoic mask to slip for a moment, too captivated by the bewitching spectacle that his wife was making of herself to even attempt to conceal his joy. Since meeting her all those years ago at Twelve Oaks, Rhett had come to believe that he knew everything there was to know about Scarlett O'Hara. After all, he had seen her at her best and at her very worst and, while she never ceased to amuse him, he had thought he knew her too well to ever again be surprised by her actions. How very wrong he had been!

Staring at her now, her black tresses floating in the breeze created by their open carriage, her cheeks red with a heady combination of dancing and drinking and her emerald eyes brimming with emotion, he realised that he had never before seen her this uninhibited, this beautiful nor, his heart clenched hopefully at the thought, this happy.

Tenderly Rhett reached out and took her small hand in his larger one, marvelling at the sight of the gold band that adorned her ring finger. He rolled the cold metal between his thumb and forefinger, twisting it back and forth as if to reassure himself that it was really there, that after all this time Scarlett had indeed finally become his wife.

Wife. The foreign, glorious word fizzled on his tongue as he whispered it silently to himself. She was his wife. He had waited for so long to make her his, and faced so many setbacks along the way that even now, six blissful, exhilarating, terrifying days after their marriage, he still couldn't quite bring himself to believe that it was real.

Part of him was almost waiting for someone to turn up and declare that there had been a dreadful mistake and that their union was not legal, that such perfect happiness simply did not exist in this world. Personally his bet was on her already being married to someone else, after all she had an uncanny knack of saddling herself with another husband every time he dared to turn his back on her for more than a minute.

Rhett grimaced slightly as he recalled how nervous he'd been to leave her in Atlanta after proposing. The thought that she would evade his clutches once again while he was abroad had haunted his mind continually during his trip and more than once he had cursed himself for being such a coward as to leave her in the first place. And yet, he knew that if he hadn't headed for London straight after she'd said yes, then he would have only ended up humiliating himself by trailing after her like a love-sick fool for the months leading up to their wedding.

And as much as he longed to declare his love for her, as much as staying quiet made his throat constrict until he felt that he must surely either blurt it out or choke, the thought of the scorn she would no doubt shower on him if he did so was enough to keep him forever silent.

Yet, watching Scarlett as she launched into the next verse of Bonnie Blue Flag, Rhett couldn't help but think that maybe there was something in her smile that suggested that she wasn't as indifferent to him now as she had once been.

Tearing his eyes away from her enticing form for a moment, Rhett glanced round at his surroundings only to groan with irritation when he realised they were only a minute or two away from their hotel. Knowing that the other residents might not prove such a willing audience to her song as he himself did, Rhett conceded that it was time to bring Scarlett's impromptu concert to a swift, if reluctant, conclusion.

Softly he squeezed her hand, maintaining the pressure until she turned unsteadily to face him. 'My pet, as much as I am enjoying your unrivalled performance of one of our fair land's most rousing tunes, I fear that our patrons for the night shall not share my enthusiasm. And seeing as it is far too late an hour to find ourselves another hotel- or at least one that will live up to your exacting standards- I must regretfully request that you save the remainder of your song until we are safely tucked up in our room.'

'Oh Rhett,' Scarlett huffed, her soft singing voice being replaced by far less angelic tones as her eyebrows slanted down in a frown, 'I don't care if they don't approve! God knows I haven't had much reason to sing these last few years and I'll be damned if I'm going to let a bunch of old guinea-hens stop me now that I do.'

Rhett grinned rakishly at his wife's spirited words, unable to keep the flame from illuminating his dark eyes as he let her words sink in. He was pleased beyond measure to hear that she was enjoying her honeymoon, after all he had promised her that he would show her a good time and Rhett Butler was not a man to go back on his word, especially not when the potential reward for sticking to it was so great.

Even so, he had been worried that he was falling short in his attempts to make her happy, Lord knew Scarlett was hardly the easiest woman to please at the best of times, so to be told that this wasn't the case eased his concerns and made his already swollen heart beat just that little bit faster.

With the knowledge that Scarlett was enjoying their time together, Rhett felt confident enough to push his luck slightly and, turning to face Scarlett fully, he replied, 'You may not care what they think of you my dear, but you're not the one who paid out more money than it is decent to mention in order to obtain the bridal suite in the best establishment that this fair city has to offer.' Pausing for a moment, he softly stroked the sensitive skin of her wrist, smiling as he felt her pulse race under his tender touch before saying earnestly, 'So if you won't cease for their sakes then I beg you most humbly to do so for mine.'

Scarlett's forehead creased back into another, larger frown as she contemplated whether or not to comply with his request before she nodded reluctantly, 'All right Rhett, seeing as you asked so nicely, I promise to be good. Although only until we get past reception, then I'm going to finish my song and I don't care if it wakes up the entire street!'

'Why my dear,' said Rhett with mock astonishment, 'I do believe this is the first time in all the years that we have known each other that you have done as I asked. And to think all I had to do was to ask nicely! Why, think of all the aggravation I could have been spared if you'd only told me sooner!'

'Oh hush up, you conceited thing!' Scarlett pouted, 'besides this isn't the first time, I agreed to marry you, didn't I?'

Rhett's teasing smile grew genuine at her words and he said solemnly, 'Yes Mrs. Butler, indeed you did.'

The brief moment of sincerity was quickly interrupted however when the carriage began to slow down before rolling to a stop outside of their hotel. Rhett swung down lithely from his seat and went to pay the driver, making sure to tip him handsomely for having endured Scarlett's caterwauling so silently.

Walking back round to where Scarlett sat he offered her his hand, making sure to grip hers tightly when he noticed her swaying as she struggled to stand up. Sure enough, as she made to step down from the carriage, her foot caught in the hem of her gown and she fell heavily against him, making him stumble backwards a few paces and only avoid hurtling to the floor altogether by the narrowest of margins. Rhett cursed under his breath as her knee crashed painfully into his thigh and her head slammed into his chest.

Scarlett however seemed thoroughly unhurt by her trip, indeed she seemed to find the entire situation greatly amusing, breaking out into a fit of giggles as she found her footing. With her mouth pressed closely against the exposed skin of his collar, Scarlett's laughter sent shivers shooting across Rhett's body as her warm breath coasted over him. His eyes darkening with desire at the feel of her soft, pliant body in his arms, Rhett's thoughts turned to how he could get her up to their room as quickly as possible.

He briefly considered picking her up and carrying her there, but the thought of the incredulous looks this show of affection would no doubt earn him from the hotel staff quickly doused the idea before he had a chance to act on it. Instead he sighed and moved to put some distance between himself and his alluring wife, nevertheless making sure to keep a firm hold on her as he did so to prevent her from falling again.

Tucking a hand under her chin and lifting her flushed face to meet his, he asked seriously, 'Scarlett, I need to get you inside, do you think you're well enough to walk up to our room?'

'Of course I am Rhett!' Scarlett snapped indignantly, 'I'm not a child. This is hardly the first time I've had a little too much to drink!'

Despite the lateness of the hour and the quietness of the street, Rhett was unable to prevent himself from laughing loudly at her response, only Scarlett O'Hara could say something so scandalous while acting so utterly superior.

'Now Rhett,' she said primly while her green eyes danced, 'whatever do you think you're doing making such a racket at this time of night? You'll get us thrown out if you don't stop and then I'll never forgive you.'

Rhett chuckled at her attempt at a joke, pleased to see that his teasing nature was beginning to rub off on his new bride, 'Oh but you would my dear, I don't believe there's anything I couldn't get you to forgive me for if I tried hard enough.'

Scarlett merely snorted contemptuously at his remark whilst swaying slightly on the spot, her unsteady movement reminding Rhett that no matter how lucidly she might be able to speak, her actions would no doubt give away her drunken state to all those inside the hotel. Gently he wrapped an arm round her waist, pulling her slim body in line with his own and anchoring her securely to his side.

'We're going to go in now Scarlett,' he explained slowly, 'just lean into me and concentrate on putting one foot in front of the other and I'll do the rest.'

Taking her silence for consent, Rhett tentatively took a step forward, pleased to find that she managed to follow him without too much trouble. Carefully, in this manner, they made their way up to the entrance of the hotel, Rhett gripping Scarlett tightly as they passed the doorman and entered the lobby.

Sweeping the room quickly with his eyes, Rhett heaved a sigh of relief when he found that the place was deserted but for the elderly man behind the front desk who didn't seem to be paying them much attention.

Rhett manoeuvred Scarlett across the marble floor towards the staircase as swiftly as he dared, finding himself almost regretting that he had bought the bridal suite for them when it was on the top floor. The thought of getting Scarlett up five flights of stairs in her inebriated state was not a pleasant one and it was with great reluctance that he slowly began the ascent up the first few steps.

They were almost half way to their room walking slowly but surely, when Rhett heard a noise above him and, looking up the staircase, his heart sank when he took in the sight of Henry Walters walking down towards them.

Walters was a distinguished looking man in is late twenties who had taken a shine to Scarlett from the minute that they had first arrived. Though he was harmless enough, it irritated Rhett beyond measure to see another man so openly trying to charm him wife, not least because Scarlett, ever on the lookout for new admirers, seemed to encourage his flirting every time they bumped into him.

Rhett recalled with distaste their previous meeting at a ball in town the night before last. He had been forced to leave Scarlett on her own for a few minutes while he spoke to an old acquaintance of his from his blockading days, Delilah Weaver. She had been the wife of one of his crew members, a man who he had lost his life during the war and Rhett thought it only right to offer her his respects even if they were so long overdue.

Throughout his conversation with Delilah, Rhett could feel Scarlett's eyes burning into his back and wondered what it was that had upset her so. When he had finished talking to her though and turned back to his wife, he found that she was no longer where he had left her. Concerned about where she could have gotten to, Rhett spun round to examine the rest of the hall only to hear her pealing laughter cut across the general commotion.

His relief was short lived however as he turned towards the sound only to find her in the arms of another man, and not any other man either, but the very man who had been soliciting her since the day they first came to New Orleans.

Rage and jealously tore through him until he could barely restrain himself from pulling out his pistol and shooting Walters where he stood. His blood boiled as he watched the two of them dancing, grimacing at the way he held Scarlett so tightly, how he made her smile in a way that only Rhett wanted to be able to.

Deeper than his anger though was the immense feeling of hurt that overtook Rhett, he felt betrayed by Scarlett's fickleness, unable to hide his disappointment that she would humiliate him so readily by seeking out another man when they were still on their honeymoon. Of course she had always been callous and, knowing her as well as he did, her behaviour should hardly have shocked him, and yet in the days that they had been married he allowed himself to hope that she was beginning to feel something for him.

Late at night as they lay entwined together in their king sized bed, her whisperings and caresses had begun to break down the walls around his heart. They revealed a softer side to Scarlett, a side which he had always known existed, but never dreamed he would get to see for himself. The fact that she was not only allowing him to witness this gentleness, but was directing it solely at him, filled Rhett with the hope that one day she might finally come to love him as he had always loved her.

Yet, there was nothing of the Scarlett he saw in the dead of the night in front of him now. Indeed, this was a different Scarlett entirely, the Scarlett who had ruthlessly pursued her best friend's husband right under everybody's noses, the Scarlett who seemed to take pleasure in hurting him.

Part of him wanted to turn and walk out of the hall and never look back. To keep on walking until he got far enough away from his green-eyed vixen to break the spell that she had weaved upon him so many years ago. He might well have done it too if she hadn't chosen that exact moment to look in his direction, her head turning towards him instinctively as if she'd sensed rather than seen where it was that he was standing.

Her gaze swept over his face expectantly, her ruby red lips curving up into a smug smirk as she took in his pained countenance and in that moment he realised what game it was that she was playing. Overcome with relief, Rhett only just managed to stop himself laughing out loud at the antics of his young wildcat of a bride. She was not dancing with Walters because she wanted to, but rather to make him jealous, to get back at him for leaving her to talk to another woman.

It was so petty and childish and so very Scarlett and in that moment Rhett felt the last vestiges of his heart which didn't already belong to her wave the white flag of surrender. She was infuriating and stubborn and cruel, but she was everything that he had been searching for his entire life and he'd be damned if one day he didn't make her see it.

Stalking across the dance floor like a tiger towards its mate, Rhett smirked as he watched his beloved's eyes widen with a mixture of shock and fear. It still amused him how she could be so brazen and yet so inhibited at the same time, how she was still held back by a fear of social scandal that he had long since learnt to suppress.

Reaching the pair, he coughed politely before tapping Walters none to softly on the shoulder and asking if he could cut in. Scarlett bristled as he took her small frame in his arms, her face wrinkling up into a frown as she made her displeasure known.

'I don't know why you had to spoil my night Rhett, I was having a perfectly lovely time with Henry before you interrupted.' She snapped, her use of Walters first name causing Rhett to flinch.

He struggled to maintain a light tone as he commented, 'My pet, don't you think that on their honeymoon it would be more fitting if the newly-wed couple danced with each other rather than with other people? I know that, unlike youself, I'm new to this marriage business, but I do believe that it how it is generally done in polite circles.'

Scarlett's eyes flashed with rage and poorly-concealed jealously as she bit back, 'You're right Rhett, you must be very ignorant of how to behave once you're married if you think that leaving your wife to talk to another woman in the middle of a ball is acceptable.'

His body filling with warmth at her possessive, affronted tone, Rhett found that for once he had no wish to continue teasing Scarlett, despite the becoming flush that it brought to her cheeks. Instead he smiled at her with true affection as he said, 'I stand corrected my pet, rest assured that it shall not happen again. Although I beg you not to scold me too harshly, as while I may have been talking to her, my thoughts, as always, were only for you.'

Rhett's smile grew larger as he watched Scarlett freeze as his unexpected words sunk in, noticing how she scanned his face cautiously for a sign of his usual sarcasm before sighing contentedly when she came up empty. His black eyes noticed how her lips turned up at the corners as he appeased her wounded vanity.

'You know though Scarlett, I'm not the only one who's been acting inappropriately. Can you not see how it wounds me whenever you trifle with that boy?'

'What boy?' she asked bemusedly, still seemingly caught up in the daze that his previous words had invoked.

'The one who was stepping on your toes before I so gallantly came to your rescue.'

'Oh you mean Mr Walters I suppose, though I'm sure I've never trifled with him.' Rhett silently raised an incredulous eyebrow making Scarlett blush slightly, 'well alright maybe a little, but only because I enjoy watching your reaction. Most of the time I swear I haven't a clue what it is that you're thinking about, but at least in those moments I have a pretty good idea.'

Her comment had shocked Rhett, making him realise that in attempt to conceal certain emotions from Scarlett he had also been excluding her from the ones he wanted her to see; namely his genuine affection and high-regard for her person, making it impossible for her to feel entirely comfortable with him. Emboldened by her words and actions, Rhett had made sure to keep his customary mask down for the rest of the night, letting Scarlett in as much as he possibly could without allowing his love to be exposed.

Yet, though they had undoubtedly grown closer as a result, and despite the fact that he was confident she felt nothing for Walters as a man, he could not now contain the swell of irritation that rose up in him at the sight of him coming down the stairs towards them.

One of his most secret delights upon marrying Scarlett was finding out that after consuming slightly more alcohol than was strictly acceptable in polite society, his wife was apt to shed her more formidable characteristics and return to the wide-eyed, gambolling innocent that she had been before the war. In such a state of merriness she was always far more openly affectionate with him than she was when sober, less worried about how such actions might make her look weak in his eyes.

Indeed, in addition to the pleasure he received from holding her a little too closely in his arms as they swept across the crowded ballroom, it was this that motivated him to take her out dancing each evening. For on returning to their hotel suite Scarlett, having undoubtedly consumed more than her fair share of champagne, would open up to him in a way that he had scarcely allowed himself to imagine was possible, a way that made the gnawing ache he had experienced every single day that he had been forced to wait for her suddenly seem like all too small a price to pay.

It pleased him greatly to know this was a side to Scarlett that he alone had had the pleasure of witnessing, a side that even the esteemed Mr Wilkes had never been fortunate enough to glimpse. Tonight though she had drunk more than ever before, going past the state where the alcohol served only to ease her nerves to the point where she was approaching almost full-blown intoxication. The thought that Walters of all people was going to witness her in this defenceless and unladylike state made Rhett feel oddly protective of his bride and he was torn between an urge to shield her from sight with his body and a darker one of pushing Walters down the stairs before he had a chance to notice her drunken demeanour.

His inner dilemma was interrupted however when Scarlett raised her head from where it had been lolling comfortably on his shoulder and recognised the man walking down towards them.

Too far gone to be embarrassed, Scarlett's face instead broke out into a wide smile upon seeing Walters, a smile that made Rhett wish he'd gone through with his plan to hurl the man down the flight of stairs after all.

'Why Henry how lovely to see you!' she crooned, her voice a level or two above what was strictly decent.

'Mrs Butler the pleasure is all mine as always,' he replied eagerly, a little too eagerly for Rhett's liking.

'Rhett and I have had the loveliest evening, we danced and danced all night long. Indeed -just between you and me- I do believe I've quite worn a hole in my new shoes!'

Walters chuckled inanely at her words as if he had never before heard something so amusing, an action which made Rhett tighten his hold on Scarlett and endeavour to bring their impromptu meeting to a swift end.

'Well Mr Walters,' he said firmly, 'as lovely as it undeniably is to see you, I'm afraid that it is rather late and if we don't retire now for the night then we shall never be up in time for breakfast.'

He took a step forward with the aim of pulling Scarlett along with him, only to be pulled backwards when she stood rooted to the spot, her hand on her hip and a scowl etched across her face.

'But I haven't asked Mr Walters if he'd like to hear my song yet Rhett.' She pouted in an endearingly child-like manner.

Struggling to repress his exasperated sigh in the face of her stubborn behaviour, Rhett tried to think of the best way to prevent her pout turning into a full-blown tantrum while simultaneously stopping her from embarrassing herself in front of Walters and waking up the entire hotel to boot.

'My dear,' he said, stepping back to her side and leaning down to whisper quietly in her ear, enjoying the look of jealously that swept across Walters face at the intimacy of his gesture, 'I though we agreed that you wouldn't sing until we reached our room. Remember we made a deal and a business woman such as yourself should know better than to go back on her word.'

Shivering slightly at the feel of his breath on her ear, Scarlett looked momentarily stunned before she pulled back and frowned threateningly, 'Actually I only promised to keep quiet until we'd gotten past reception Rhett, I would have thought that a business man such as yourself would know better than to enter into an arrangement without first being clear of the terms.'

Unsure whether to be proud or irritated by her cunning, Rhett found himself laughing and scowling at the same time while silently marvelling at the way his wife was the only person who had ever been able to outwit him, sober or not. Though he normally despised losing in any and all forms, Rhett found to his surprise that losing to Scarlett only increased his affection for her, underlining the fact that he had well and truly met his match.

'I'd be honoured to hear your song Scarlett' Walters piped up, his use of her first name making Rhett's blood boil.

'See?' said Scarlett accusingly, 'Henry appreciates my talents even if they are wasted on you. I bet you wouldn't make me stop halfway through a song that I was enjoying singing just to please some stuffy old nobodies now would you Henry?'

'Why no Scarlett, if I had a wife half as beautiful or creative as you then I would make it my duty to show her off to everyone I met rather than hide her away from the world.'

'Well that's one of the many ways in which you and I differ Walters,' Rhett said stiffly, only managing to keep his anger and jealously under control by the smallest of margins, 'I would never treat my wife as an object to be flaunted about in front of everyone.'

'Oh Rhett,' Scarlett frowned, smacking him lightly on his arm in protest, 'that's not what Henry meant at all, if I were his wife he'd treat me like a prize and not an object.'

'Is there a difference my dear?' he questioned sardonically, unsure as to how a night which had started off so well and had seemed to promise so much had managed to deteriorate so quickly. Indeed he was half considering heading out to a saloon after he'd dropped Scarlett back in their room, overcome as he was with a need to drink away his sudden bout of bitterness. It would be the first night since they had arrived in New Orleans in which he would not sleep by her side, but suddenly the thought of their nocturnal separation appealed to him almost as much as it had previously pained him.

'Of course there is.' Scarlett said, her tone more quiet and sombre than it had been all night, 'Every girl wants their husband to treat them as if they're special rather than shameful.'

Catching a fleeting emotion sweep across her face, Rhett raised his hand to her chin and angled her head towards him, forgetting Walters's presence as he carefully scanned his wife's eyes.

Beneath the slightly glazed over expression she wore as a result of the champagne, he detected a forlorn look as if something had wounded her more than she was willing to fully admit.

Sighing deeply and cursing his own stupidity in forgetting that Scarlett's flirtation with Walters was always motivated by his own failings as a husband rather than by a genuine desire for the man, Rhett felt his anger at the two of them slowly drain away as he thought how best to fix his earlier mistake. He should have anticipated that his highly-strung wife would take his appeal for her to be quiet the wrong way, seeing his request as a sign that he was embarrassed by her drunken actions when in truth he was even more captivated by them than he was with everything else she did.

Moving the hand that held her chin so that it gently cupped her cheek, Rhett leant in towards his wife, unable to supress a smirk when he saw how her eyes dilated and her face flushed in response to his tender actions.

'My pet you can sing as loudly as you want to, you can wake the entire neighbourhood, the entire city even if it pleases you to do so. There is nothing that you could do that would make me ashamed of you.' At her look of scepticism he continued, 'You should know by now that I'm not a man who cares for the good opinion of others, indeed I have always found it to be far more amusing to invoke their criticism. Don't you see that it was your own reputation that I was trying to protect? That I did not want you to wake up in the morning and feel humiliated by the events of the night before? '

'After all' he teased gently, 'unlike my good self, you have always been far too cowardly to speak and act in public as you do in private and I would hate for your long-standing hypocrisy to be uncovered for the sake of one night's amusement.'

Hating the look of uncertainty she wore as she looked at him with wide, misty eyes, Rhett's heart clenched at Scarlett's uncharacteristically soft tone as she asked, 'Really?'

Deciding to meet her rare act of openness with one of his own, Rhett pulled her to him and met her lips with a gentle kiss, savouring the way she sighed against his skin, her cool breath ticking his chin. Bending down to lean his forehead against hers he looked her squarely in the eye and whispered firmly, 'Really.'

He was rewarded for his candour with a breath taking smile, 'So you do like my singing then Rhett?' she enquired smugly.

Grinning lightly he could not help but tease, 'I wouldn't recommend you give up your businesses to take it up professionally my dear, but as for myself I will always prove a willing audience to whatever tunes you choose to delight me with.'

Scarlett attempted to scowl at his words, but her bright eyes gave away her amusement. Rhett was going to suggest they headed upstairs when Walters, no doubt upset at having been seemingly forgotten about by the object of his affection, chose that moment to make his frustration known.

'So now that your husband wishes to hear you too Scarlett, what song are you going to sing for us?'

Rhett chuckled as Scarlett jumped slightly at the sound of Walters's voice, her cheeks growing red as she remembered where she was and tried to pull away from the improper embrace she was currently enjoying with her husband.

Turning towards him she looked unsure of what to say before finally muttering, 'I think I'd rather finish my song in my room if you don't mind Henry, I wouldn't want to wake the other guests up after all.'

'Are you sure my dear?' Rhett taunted, reluctant to end the exchange with Walters now that he knew he had the upper hand, 'It's no concern of mine if we disturb the other residents.'

Glancing at him with pleading eyes Scarlett said, 'I know that Rhett, but I'm afraid I'm suddenly feeling a little under the weather and I think I'd better return to our suite as soon as possible.'

Grinning inside at the opportunity she had just unknowingly handed him, Rhett schooled his features into those of a concerned husband as he raised his hand to theatrically check the heat of her brow and cheeks. 'My darling, why did you not say so sooner? I must beg you to forgive me for being remiss enough not to notice your suffering. Why we must get you back to our rooms immediately.'

Without another word he bent and scooped her into his arms, biting back a laugh when Scarlett screamed in surprise.

'Rhett put me down this instant, it isn't decent!' she cried, her cheeks flaming with embarrassment as she shot an anxious look over at Walters who stood before them with his mouth all but hanging open at Rhett's audacious display.

'I'm sorry my dear, but as you husband I'm afraid it is my duty to put your health before matters of social decorum. Now if you'll excuse us Walters I must be getting my wife upstairs before her condition worsens any further.'

Unable to contain his enjoyment any longer, Rhett smirked broadly as he passed by a stunned-looking Walters and all but sprinted up the remaining two flights of stairs to their floor. His arms tightened round Scarlett as he felt her annoyance give way and her body relax into his hold.

Striding across the corridor towards their room, Rhett cursed when he stopped outside of their door only to realise the key was trapped in his pocket. Wrapping his arm more firmly around his bride and moving closer to the door so that she was wedged between it and his body, he reached down and tried to extract the key without dropping her. The situation wasn't helped when Scarlett, no doubt enjoying his predicament, began giggling softly in his ear, her cool breath on his skin making on impossible for him to concentrate properly.

'My pet unless you want to become better acquainted with the carpet then I suggest you stop distracting me with your laughter until I get this damn door open.'

Unperturbed by his aggravated tone, Scarlett only laughed harder, her whole body shaking in his arms until he could barely restrain himself from abandoning his attempts to open the door and simply taking her against it.

'Oh Rhett!' she grinned indulgently, 'let me do it.' Before he could say a word in protest she reached round and batted his hand away with hers, her slim fingers easily sliding inside his pocket and taking out the key where his large ones had been unable to.

Eyes shining smugly, she handed him the key before laying her head back on his shoulder while he opened the door to their suite.

Walking through the lounge area to their bedroom, Rhett laid Scarlett down gently upon the mattress before standing back up to take off his dinner jacket and loosen his cravat. Staring down at his wife, her black hair streaming across the white sheets and her ivory skin made almost translucent by the moonlight that trickled in through the window, he was once again struck with the irrational fear that he was dreaming, that all the happiness that he had experienced in these last few days was an illusion and that he would soon wake up to find himself in Belle's, as lost and alone as he had always been.

Needing reassurance that she was really there he bent down to kiss her, covering her body with his own as if trying to stop her from ever leaving. His heart clenched as he felt her respond to his touch, her lips parting under his own as she sighed softly and contentedly into his mouth. Reaching for her hand he entwined his fingers with hers, while his other hand came up to stroke her hair.

Lost in the moment, he almost didn't notice when she turned her head away from him, instead using it only as an opportunity to rain kisses down on her throat and neck.

His trance was broken however by the sound of his name as she called out to him while moving her hand to push against his chest.

Leaning back he surveyed her face with concern, scared that he had done something to hurt her despite having been so deliberately and painstakingly gentle jn his actions, keeping the passion he ached to show her under a curb-bit as always.

Rather than pain or anger though, the only emotion he could detect in her eyes was slight irritation and wordlessly he raised a sardonic brow in question.

'Rhett I thought you wanted to hear the rest of my song.' She pouted petulantly, her lips pursing up in a way that was far too enticing to resist.

Lowering his head Rhett peppered kisses across her mouth and cheeks until her scowl turned into a reluctant smile, 'Indeed I do my darling, and so I shall later on, but right now I have an altogether different kind of performance in mind, one that I'm sure will prove equally if not more pleasurable for the both of us.'

Rhett grinned as he watched Scarlett roll her eyes at his bad joke while trying not to giggle. It was in that moment that he decided to stop worrying about whether or not all this was too good to be true and simply enjoy it while it lasted. He knew that this honeymoon period could not last forever, after all he and Scarlett were far too confrontational and hot-headed in temperament for their relationship to be this harmonious all of the time. Yet, while rougher tides no doubt lay ahead of them, he was determined that they would not capsize, that he would do everything in his power to keep them afloat.

Reaching out to his wife, Rhett let his fears and anxieties fall away along with the walls that he had constructed to keep her at a distance as he eagerly lost himself in Scarlett and fantasies of their future life together.


End file.
